


an explosion of colors

by banditoheart (2space_lesbo1)



Series: Snowboard One Shots [8]
Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Autistic Hasegawa Langa, Blood and Injury, Cute Hasegawa Langa, Gen, Hasegawa Langa In Love, Kyan Reki Has ADHD, Kyan Reki is a Ray of Sunshine, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Injuries, Non-Binary Kyan Reki, Non-binary character, Pastel Hasegawa Langa, Possibly more chapters to come, Punk Kyan Reki, look i had to write this ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-27 22:02:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30129486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2space_lesbo1/pseuds/banditoheart
Summary: Langa met them during his first day of school. They were in the back, heavy booted feet propped on the desk, a leather jacket covering their shoulders, their dark hair ablaze like a flame.And they were beautiful.
Relationships: Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki
Series: Snowboard One Shots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2190897
Comments: 21
Kudos: 143





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> idk where this idea came from but when i got it i HAD to write it lol. idk if i'll be sharing a second chapter, since i know i'm probably going to write more, but idk what the response to this fic will be. if there's enough positive feedback i'll share the next chapter :>
> 
> i have... plans, for this universe. with my punk reki and pastel langa. i'm excited to share if y'all want more of it!!
> 
> also, i made langa autistic in this. but!!! i am not autistic, so if i made any rude assumptions/portrayed autism incorrectly, please let me know so i can change it or completely remove this aspect of the story. 
> 
> reki is non binary because i said so

Langa remembers seeing them on his first day at school. 

They’d been sitting in the back, their chair leaned back so far Langa briefly wondered how they hadn't fallen out of it. Their feet- clad in large, black combat boots- are propped on the desktop, which Langa thinks is against the rules, but then again, they don't seem to care too much. 

They have a giant leather jacket covering their shoulders, that is covered in pockets and silver chains connecting from various spots. Their dark blue pair of jeans are ripped all along the front, and even more chains wrap around their belt line. Their ears are covered in piercings on both sides, some spiked earrings and others mere studs or hoops dangling from their lobes. They also have a piercing through their bottom lip, which reflects the light of the classroom. 

And their hair. Langa couldn't help but stare at it, and how well it contrasted against their tanned skin, their cheeks and nose peppered by freckles, their eyes a bright amber. Their hair was a mess of dark, almost blood red curls, brushed back in something resembling organization by hair gel and spray. 

They were beautiful. 

Sure, not in the usual definition society has claimed, but Langa was taken by them almost instantly. He'd felt himself blushing faintly when their amber eyes met his own gaze, considering him in return. 

Langa’s sure he doesn't look too remarkable to this amazing person in front of himself. 

He's wearing his favorite, light orange cardigan over the yellow school uniform he'd brought with him from Canada. His pants are a silky red to tie in with his choice of warm colors for the day, his socks a similar shade of orange to his thin jacket. He's wearing his favorite pair of dangling gold earrings today, with the right being the shape of the sun while the left is a crescent moon. Around his neck is a leather necklace holding up a faux red hibiscus flower. He pulled his blue hair back in a small ponytail, and he'd put in the painstaking work of weaving a few more of the fake red flowers in some of the strands. 

The person regards him a moment, and then does so longer when the teacher announces that Langa is to take the seat beside them. The other desks surrounding him are pushed a bit farther than the should be, aside from the last empty seat there. The other students in the class’s whispers grow more eager; at first it was about how handsome he was to the girls, and now how screwed he was to be sitting by them. 

Langa doesn't really see how it's a bad thing. It'd be all the more easy to sneak looks at them. 

He slowly walks to the back, setting his backpack on the ground beside his new desk, glancing at the person beside him. He takes a moment to get comfortable, and then turns to face the person sitting beside him, holding a hand out. He can feel the gazes of the kids in class, as if enthralled by this. 

“Hello,” he said, his Japanese only a bit rusty. He's proud of himself for not slipping back into English anymore. “I'm Langa. It's nice to meet you.” 

And maybe he shouldn't have introduced himself to them like that, but he doesn't know how else, and they're grinning at him, making them look even more amazing than they already had. And now, Langa could see that they're wearing a dark blue lipstick and massacra on their long lashes and a lighter blue eyeshadow and when they reach a hand out to clasp his, their nails are painted a darker blue. 

Their eyes are gorgeously captivating, too. A warm amber, that resembles the fire in a hearth on a cold, snowy day. Langa is drawn back to his childhood of huddling up at the foot of the fireplace, craving the heat the flames offered. His eyes were a lot like that, like the embers at the bottom just waiting to spark back to life. He felt warm under their gaze. 

Langa can feel heat gather in the pit of his stomach when their hands touch. Oh. Oh no. He was getting a crush and he was getting it fast. The talking of the class grows more enthusiastic when their fingers slip together in a shake, shock in their voices. 

“Nice to meet you, Langa-kun,” they said, their voice as wonderful as Langa imagined it would be. He's never gotten feelings for someone so fast before, and it's almost a shock to him. He's not entirely sure how to handle all of these new emotions he wasn't used to, so he keeps his face blank, hoping he's not revealing anything on his expression. “I'm Kyan Reki, but you can just call me Reki, if you'd like.” They wink, and Langa knows it's all over for him. 

“Alright, Reki,” Langa said, and allows a small, hesitant smile. 

They grin back, and lean in their chair once more. “Meet me up after school. I'd like to show you something,” they tell him, and Langa can feel the heat in his cheeks have returned with a storm. “I'll be at the entrance. I'll wait for you.” 

“Okay,” Langa said, blinking owlishly. They chuckle at him before turning to face the front of the class again. Langa can just see the way all of the heads of their peers turn as soon as he's looking forward again, as if they were afraid to catch Reki’s eye. Which doesn't make much sense to Langa; Reki was beautiful, and it was a conundrum to him as to why everyone treated them like the plague. 

When the last bell of his last class rings- he was hardly able to pay attention in class  _ already _ . He'd told his mom he would focus the best he could, since it was a new place and a new school and he wanted to make good grades for her, but it was just so  _ difficult _ and his mind kept drifting back to Reki and their plump, pink lips.- he quickly gathers his things, excited to see Reki again. They'd had most of their classes together, and Reki would sit close to him in a comfortable silence, but they don't share a last period, so he is eager to meet them again. 

They’d sat with him at lunch, leaning back against the chain fence with their legs stretched out and their ankles crossed over one another. They hadn't eaten much- just a small bento in an even smaller box- but they had exchanged a few words with him. 

“What do you think of your new school?” they'd asked, their cool voice like a song to Langa. He really liked their voice, and if it wasn't deemed creepy, he would have requested them to sing a song for him. One that he could record and listen to throughout the day; maybe then he could stay focused, and not be so aloof. Because with Reki near him, his focus would sharpen, like he could listen to whatever the teachers would say. Without them, though, his mind would wander to something or nothing. 

Langa picked at the wrapping of the sandwich his mom had packed for him, listening to the crisp tear. He loved the sound of crinkling and ripping paper, too. It was one of his favorite sounds, right alongside wind through leaves and the crunch of snow beneath his boots. Reki’s voice was up there, too, now. 

“It's nice, so far,” Langa replied, his own voice quiet. He wanted to match their every tone and emotion, and so he sat just as relaxed. Or, he tried too. He probably looked awkwardly bunched together, not even close to the fence to lean against it, but he hoped Reki hadn't minded. In fact, they'd been watching him closely, chewing on a piece of cheese from their bento, their amber eyes bright and warm. “No one has really given me a hard time, yet.”

Reki raised an eyebrow, huffing. And that's when Langa finally took notice of the red stud in his eyebrow, and how had he missed that? It's right there. “That's a surprise,” they said, a tad forlornly. Langa frowned at their tone. They sound a tad sad. He doesn't like that. “But what would they give you a hard time about? Everyone seems to be taken by your princely appearance.” They were teasing him, and he could actually tell. Any other time with any other person, he wouldn't have been able to catch onto the teasing or tones. But with Reki, it was so easy. He liked that. They made it easy to tell. 

“I uh… I have autism,” he admitted, finding it only a bit difficult to tell them. They don't even flinch at his admission, merely sitting silently, as if waiting for him to say something that was a big deal to them. He blinks. That… wasn't a big deal to them? 

“Oh, is that it?” they’d said, clearly surprised. They chuckle, and Langa’s heart flutters at the sound. “Well, I've got ADHD, so I can sort of empathize with you.” He blinks again, even more surprised. They hadn't even shown a sign of having ADHD. Or, maybe they had, and he'd just written it off as habits. They must be good at masking. The thought made Langa even sadder. They shouldn't have to mask. Then, they’d sombered, reaching out a hand to lightly grasp his hand. He'd stiffened, but allowed it. Their hand was as calloused as before, light against the back of his hand. He could almost feel every individual scratch and scar on his palm and fingers, and he's almost tempted to hang onto it and trace every single indention and scar, wanting to feel and learn everything about each one. He refrained. They'd probably think that was weird. Then he’d realized they were still talking, and so he'd tuned back onto them and their voice, meeting their amber eyes easily. “But if anyone does give you a hard time about it, then let me know. Alright?” 

Langa had nodded, because he hadn't known how else to respond. His peers in Canada weren't all too interested in him- he'd been too quiet, too aloof for them to really talk to him. He was always thinking about snowboarding, and he'd thought that the only friend he'd needed was his father. He hadn't needed anyone else, so he hadn't even tried talking to anyone else. But he had always felt the way they'd stared at him, judging him silently. And sometimes, not so silently, tripping him in the halls or other small, childish things. He'd ignored it all, not really caring to get into any fights. He got beat up while snowboarding enough, after all. He didn't need any more bruises or scrapes from fighting someone, even if he could if he'd wanted to. 

So to hear someone actually sticking up for him? It made his stomach feel warm, and he'd thought that maybe he wanted a new friend. 

He hadn't had any since his father had died, after all. 

“Oh, by the way,” Reki had continued, once more gently drawing him back to reality. They were never harsh, never demanding. He was quickly taking notice of this fact. “I go by they/them pronouns! Since I'm non-binary, I mean.” He’d grown sheepish at the last part of his explanation, a slight flush covering his cheeks while he'd picked at the edge of his jacket. Langa thought he liked the sound of it. He'd have to listen to it more. “Do you have preferred pronouns?” 

Langa had shrugged. He didn't think about gender or pronouns too often- he was quite comfortable with himself. “I mostly go by he/him, but I don't mind they/them or she/her, either,” he’d said, taking another bite of his sandwich. “I am gay, though.” He's still not sure why he'd mentioned that part to them at the time, but he assumes it's because of the topic. It was about LGBT stuff, right? 

Reki smirked and leaned his head against the fence, causing a small thump of chains. “Thought so,” they’d said with a small chuckle, and Langa couldn't stop himself from blushing. They take notice, and quickly add, “Not that that's a bad thing! I think that's why I liked you! I mean, I'm bi, after all.” 

Wait. That's why they liked him? He blinked, trying to process what that had meant. But before he could ask, the bell had rang, and Reki leapt to their feet, brushing themself off. “Well, I'll show you to fifth period too, then.” 

They didn't bring it up again, so he hadn't either. But thoughts of that bit stayed with him. 

It probably just meant that they saw him as kin? Or something similar, since they're both a part of the LGBT. Yeah, probably that. He doesn't need to overthink it. 

But he does, of course. 

As he stood to leave the class, a hand caught his wrist, and he'd yanked his arm back. People touching him sometimes felt like something was burning his skin, and he despised others touching him in anyway. Only his mom could touch him, and his dad when he'd been alive. No one else. 

A disheveled boy stands in front of him, his eyes wide. “You're planning on meeting up with Kyan, aren't you?” he asked quickly, his voice low and hushed as if sharing a secret. A group of their other peers stood nearby, watching with rapt attention to their exchange. It took a moment for Langa to remember that that was a part of Reki’s name, before he recalled it, and nodded and in reply. The guy had grimaced, and Langa had frowned. “You know he's bad news, right? Just look at the way he dresses!” 

Langa’s frown had deepened. What was that supposed to mean? He didn't like it, not one bit. Especially since Reki had promised to stand up for him if anyone else was bothering him. And Langa wanted to do the same for Reki, but he was suddenly at a loss for words, not used to protesting against someone’s thoughts. 

“Someone like you shouldn't be hanging around someone like him,” the guy continued, and jabbed a thumb at the group of kids behind him. “You should come hang with us, instead.” 

“Why?” Langa had asked, and the guy looked so confused at his question. 

“Did you not hear me?” he said, his eyebrows scrunched together tightly. Langa didn't like the look. “He's bad news!” 

“Why?” Langa repeated, and the guy had blinked in confusion. 

“Did you  _ not  _ see the way he dresses?” the guy stuttered, getting further and further lost by the conversation. Langa was just as lost, but for completely different reasons. Why was the guy judging Reki so harshly for the way he dresses? Langa thought he looked great. Stunning, even. The guy had held a hand on one side of his mouth to whisper conspiratorially, “Plus, I heard he’s gay. He makes weird advances on other guys all the-”

“I am leaving now,” Langa said, interrupting the other boy. He had heard enough. His peers back in Canada had said so many similar things about him when he'd lived there, so he knew the guy was just being homophobic. He could tell by the way he was whispering; Langa wasn't the best at reading emotions, but he could read that kind specifically. He'd had to learn how to do so quickly, after all. 

He'd headed straight for the entrance after that, ignoring everyone and everything else around him. 

He bounces on the balls of his feet while he waits for Reki to join him at the school entrance, fidgeting with one of his backpack straps. He doesn't pay any mind to the girls trying to get his attention, nor the guys calling his name. None of them are Reki, so he doesn't really care. He's waiting for Reki and only Reki, no one else. 

And he's paid off when a hand lands on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. He jumps a little, not expecting it, and ready to slap it off- he doesn't like when people touch him- but then he takes notice that it's Reki, and so holds himself back. He doesn't want to ruin any possible chance of a friendship that could be forming right now. 

His eyes land on the piercing in Reki’s bottom lip, once more entranced by the way the light moves with it. But then he realizes that Reki was speaking to him, so he blinks and refocuses on the piercing in his eyebrow, instead. 

“Hey, Langa-kun,” Reki greeted, the same grin as before stretching their lips. The sunlight reflects off of their amber eyes, and he's almost entranced by that, instead. “You actually waited for me!” They seem a little surprised by the fact, but continue to smile anyway. Langa loves their smile, but he doesn't like that they're surprised that he's there. 

“Yeah,” Langa responded dumbly. He can't look away from Reki’s face. How embarrassing. They don't seem to take notice or care, if they do. 

“Well, you're not doing anything, right?” they asked. 

“No,” he replied, and quickly shot his mom a text to let her know he'd be back later. She responds with a thumbs up and he slips his phone back into his pocket. “Now I don't.” 

Their grin widens, and he absolutely revels in it. “Great!” they exclaimed, and then held up a hand for Langa to take. “Shall we be off, then?” 

Langa feels his stomach fill with butterflies as he slowly takes the offered hand, their fingers brushing against his palm. He's hit with the urge to just press his fingers into the scabs and scars once more, but bites down on his tongue to stop himself from doing so. 

Reki ends up leading him to a park that was a small distance away from the school. It was currently empty, with a few cats lazing about in a nearby patch of grass. They stop at the base of a large skating ramp in the center of the park, and Reki releases his hand. He already misses their warmth. 

They take a few more steps away from him, and then slip their backpack off of their shoulders. Langa watches the movement, eyebrows scrunching in confusion when Reki doesn't say anything to him, and doesn't move to do anything, either. That is, of course, until he's bending down and removing a skateboard- and how had Langa not even noticed the skateboard until now? It was  _ right there _ on their backpack- from the front. They place it down on the ground in front of themself, step onto it, shoot him a grin, and then shoot off. 

Langa watches with wide eyes as Reki seems to almost  _ soar _ across the pavement. They're grinning the whole time they're skating, too, their hair whipping wildly in all directions as the wind ruthlessly pushes back at them. They don't seem to take notice of it at all, instead somehow going faster as they scale the side of the ramp. 

A gasp escapes Langa’s mouth as Reki flies from the edge of the ramp, and suddenly he's back in Canada, his board strapped to his feet, his father yelling encouraging words at him. They stay on their board throughout the entire arc, and land seemingly effortlessly, rolling back to flat ground. But they don't stop there, instead kicking off the ground and sliding across a nearby rail. 

Langa is breathless by the time Reki approaches him once more, skating a full circle around him. He can't take his eyes off of them, enraptured by them and how they move on the board, almost like it was an extension of their body. They take notice of his expression, and they hop off of their board, kicking one end to have it resting on his knee, a hand holding it up and in place. 

“So, what’d you think?” they asked, their grin still in place. Langa almost can't respond, still completely taken away by what he'd just watched. 

Reki had looked amazing while skating, like there was nothing in the world that could bother them. Like they were flying high in the sky, the ground far below them. The sunlight catches their hair at the perfect angle, and the curls explode with color, looking like a bonfire in the dark. 

“It… it was amazing,” Langa responded, and his voice was nearly taken by his awe. His hands clenched into fists at his side, and his body vibrates with his excitement, and he needs to do  _ something  _ else with his hands or else he won't know what to do with all of this extra energy. Reki seems to take notice of this, as they offer him a hand, and his own hands fly up to grasp it, his fingers exploring the grooves of his palm and the bumps of his calluses and scars. “You looked so… cool, skating.” 

A bit of red spreads across Reki’s cheeks, and Langa almost thinks he's imagining it. But no, it's there, better revealing the freckles dotting his skin. He doesn't mention it, and neither does Reki. 

“Wanna try?” they suggest, and his eyes widen further, his fingers picking up in their speed of exploration. Reki kicks the board back to the ground, waving to it with their free hand. Langa glances down at it, and his hands slowly release Reki’s. He looks back up at them searchingly. 

“You sure?” he asked. 

They nod, and gesture at it once more. Langa swallows around the sudden lump in his throat, and hesitantly places his right foot on the center of the board first. He's not entirely sure how he's supposed to get on it properly, especially without bindings, but he thinks he could maybe possibly manage. 

He quickly tries to bring his second foot onto the board, only for the board to move suddenly, and he ends up hitting the ground with a yelp. He can just hear Reki laughing at his mistake, and he pouts up at them, embarrassed. 

“It moves!” he pointed out angrily, sitting up from his place on the ground. Reki grins at him once more, kicking the board to be under their left foot. “There's no way I could get on it.” 

“Sure there is,” Reki said, and once more offers a hand out for him. He slowly takes it, allowing them to pull him back to his feet. “You just placed your weight too far forward, so the board went with you.” They begin to get on it themself, making it look way easier than it actually was. “Keep your lead foot in the center, so that your center of gravity is there as well, and then place your second foot in the back. Then, shift your lead foot to the front and you'll be balanced.” 

Langa listens with rapt attention, taking note of the way Reki shifts his weight and storing it away for later. “Can I try again?” he asked hesitantly, and they nod, hopping off once more. They hold their hands on their hips, keeping a close eye on Langa and their board. 

Doing exactly as instructed, Langa slowly places his right foot in the center of the board. It shakes a little under his added weight, and he freezes, not wanting to send it shooting off again. But then the board doesn't move anymore, and so he raises his second foot, making sure to keep his center of gravity or whatever in the same spot. He places his back foot behind his lead, and then shimmies that one towards the front. 

When he feels stable, he wants to flap his hands with his excitement at his minor accomplishment, but he refrains from doing so as to not fall again. He grins over at Reki, who grins back and gives him a thumbs up. Then, they're moving, and pushing his back and he panics, waving his arms in the air on both sides as the board starts to move on its own. He yelps, but Reki is yelling words of encouragement and it  _ almost  _ feels like he's back on his snowboard. 

He doesn't get far before falling off again. 

He hissed through his clenched teeth as his back once more connects with the ground, and he frowns when one of his flowers falls free from his hair. He pushes up to his knees to grab it, but another, tanner hand is faster, plucking the flower from the pavement and twirling it between their fingers. 

Langa blinks and looks up at Reki as they crouch in front of him, considering the flower. Then, they reach forward and slide it behind one of his ears, making the butterflies in Langa’s stomach explode, reminding him that they were there. Reki’s fingers brush through the strands of his hair, and he can feel one or two of them getting the flower in place before they draw away. 

They look him over thoughtfully, and then give him another thumbs up, clearly pleased with what he sees. Langa can only blush in response. 

“You did great!” Reki told him, brushing their legs as they stand straight again. Langa follows suit, shaking his head despondently. 

“How? I fell again,” he said and Reki rubs their nose with their index finger. 

“Learning to skate involves a lot of falling and bailing,” they explained, their amber eyes glinting with happiness. They always seem to like talking about skateboarding, and he likes to see them so happy. “And you got far without falling! I think you did great.”

Langa glows under the praise. “Still wish I didn't fall,” he muttered, staring hard at the pavement as if it was the ground’s fault for his failures. Reki huffs, and when he looks back up at them, their arms are crossed over their chest as they think something over. Then, they snap their fingers, a bright smile on their face. 

“Think I have an idea,” they told him, and mischievously grin at him. “You can ride on the board with me!” 

His eyebrows shoot to his hairline, and suddenly Langa can't tell if they're joking or not. But they don't seem to be, as they hop back on their board and stare back at him expectantly. He wets his lips, feeling shy as he steps onto the board in front of them, where they'd left room for him. It was a tight fit, and Langa grew wary of falling again, but then their hands were gripping his sides and giving a reassuring squeeze and suddenly he didn't have any fears left in the world. 

Reki was stronger than they looked, and kept him balanced with seeming ease. Langa does his best to stay balanced on his own, as well, but then his back brushes their front and he goes stock still. He hadn't even realized how close they'd gotten until that very second. 

“I'm gonna start moving now,” they inform him, their breath brushing his ear. Langa swallows heavily, and nodded to let them know he'd heard them. 

Their right leg reaches to the ground and pushes off, and Langa holds his breath as the board starts to  _ move _ . His arms wave instinctively, and Reki laughs lightly in his ear and he flushes and they keep moving forward. 

Their speed picks up, and Langa gasps at the sensation of soaring through the air again. He hasn't felt this free since he'd snowboarded back home, but this time, he wasn't completely freezing from low temperatures and snow. His excitement returns full force, spreading from his stomach to the tips of his toes and fingers and he can't stop himself from giggling as they fly along. 

Reki eventually stops them by placing a foot on the ground, halting their flight. Langa is still grinning, and turns to face Reki as they both step off. 

“That was amazing,” Langa informed them, even though they probably already know that. They were good at skating, amazing at skating, breathtaking, even, so they had to know of the adrenaline rush that came with it. They match his grin, their face beautiful in the setting sun’s light. “Can… can you teach me how to skate?” He hadn't even realized he was saying this until the words had left his mouth, and then he quickly shut his mouth, afraid that they'd say no. Langa thinks he wouldn't be rude about it, but he was afraid of outright denial, anyway. 

But then their grin is widening, and they seem to flow brighter than the sun when they take a step closer, grasping one of his hands once more(they've been holding hands a lot, Langa has noticed). “I would love to!!” they exclaimed, both of their hands clasping one of Langa’s. “I'll get you a board to practice on, and I can teach you everyday after school when I'm not working and-”

Langa’s eyes widen, and he suddenly remembers the mission his mom had given to him at the beginning of the day. “Where do you work?” he said, interrupting their excited speech and causing their grin to falter. Oh. He shouldn't have interrupted them. “S- sorry! But I need a job to help my mom!” 

Reki tilts their head, a few of their dark curls falling in their face. But they don't seem offended by his interruption. “I can take you to the place I work when we get you a practice board,” they reply, and Langa relaxes. They aren't mad at him. “We could see if the manager would be willing to hire you, too.” 

“Yes, please!” Langa exclaimed, nodding his head eagerly. “I want to learn to skate and to try to get a job at the place you work!” 

Reki bursts out laughing, their hair framing their face, their freckles highlighted by the sun’s rays. They look almost like they'd walked out of a masterpiece of a painting, and all Langa could do was stare. “Sounds great!” they said, crossing their arms over their shoulders. “Then I'll see you tomorrow at school, Langa-kun. We can talk about it more. Need to get home for now, though.” 

Then they're reaching for their board, and Langa can't let them leave  _ just _ like  _ that _ . He fumbles momentarily, then pulls the faux flower tucked behind his ear off and hurries to Reki’s side once more. They pause in their work of strapping their board to their backpack, and glance at him. He hesitantly reaches forward, then, and slides the flower’s stem through a few of their curls. 

Their eyes widen, becoming large pools of melted amber and honey, and Langa is breathless with his worry that he'd gone too far now. But then they reach up, brushing their finger along the petals, and smile warmly at him. 

“See you, Langa-kun,” they said once again, and Langa nods. 

Reki walks him to the entrance of the park, and then they head their separate ways. 

Langa is still buzzing from their interactions, and he pulls another flower free from his hair. He twirls it between his fingers, similar to how Reki had done so earlier. He lets out a pleased him as he heads back home, ready to tell his mom about the day, and eager to start the next. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank y'all so much for the comments! y'all are so kind and made me want to post another chapter haha. 
> 
> so here y'all go! i think it's pretty cute ;) 
> 
> and check out my mutual's amazing art! they draw my babes ;3; 
> 
> https://cheritsundere.tumblr.com/post/646155070219665408/they-were-a-punk-and-he-did-ballet-thank-you
> 
> remember- i love comments! the more you comment the more likely i am to post a third chapter haha
> 
> possible tw: implied self harm, but not clearly stated
> 
> enjoy!

Langa grunts as he once more hits the ground, hard. His rear was starting to ache up a storm, and his palms were cut open from one too many falls. He's also got a pretty bad bruise on his cheek, from when he'd fallen off of the board too close to a railing and hit it face first. Well, cheek first. He's cut and scraped himself up way too much. 

And Reki has helped him to his feet, and patched him up, every time, no questions asked. Their hands, so damaged and callused and rough, are gentle and caring when patching Langa’s many small wounds. 

They dab at another cut that Langa got on one of his knees; he'd bailed so hard this time that even the fabric of his jeans had torn open. Luckily, though, there wasn't any blood. Just an angry bruise and pink skin. He hissed at the slight pressure, but didn't stop Reki from their work. They know what they're doing. 

And they look great while doing it, too. Their hair was once more slicked back, this time with a black headband at the base of their hair. They had lighter shades of blue makeup on today, along with their signature jacket. Today, they were wearing a ripped blue shirt beneath it Langa hadn't seen before, a collection of chained necklaces hanging around their neck. Though, upon closer look, he'd come to realize that they weren't chains at all. Instead, they were lines of Monster can tabs strung together. Whenever Reki moves, they jangle and brush against their skin. The movements were mesmerizing and Langa almost wanted to run his fingers along them. 

They have a pair of torn black jeans on as well, and the same pair of boots they wore almost everyday. And, their nails are painted an almost midnight blue. They have a few bracelets dangling from their wrists, most of them made of black leather that were adorned with small gems and spikes. They also wear one of those earrings that goes from one side of your ear’s helix to the other- Langa wasn't sure what those are called. But it looked cool on them, along with the rest of the various earrings they had on. 

They're wearing their usual jacket- which is a black leather. He thinks it's real- they'd told him how faux leather is actually worse for the earth, since it was made out of multiple plastics, making it a non biodegradable. The jacket is covered in various patches and badges, as well as chains. Langa’s favorites of the patches had to be the non-binary flag, an artistic sun, one of the Japanese flag, and the few that say ACAB. Langa knows of ACAB, since he'd lived so close to America, as well as Canada’s police system needing work. Apparently, some in Japan share the sentiment. 

Langa wasn't entirely sure how, but their outfits were always stunning. 

And today, Langa is wearing one of his own favorite outfits. With a soft red shirt covered in white forms resembling clouds, the sleeves hanging loosely around his wrists, it was comfortable, as well as fashionable. His pants are a light orange, gently clashing with his shirt. He has his favorite pair of converse on as well, which are a pair of bright yellow shoes. Underneath those, his socks are bright purple covered with cats of all kinds of colors all smiling back at him. He's also wearing two necklaces today- the hibiscus cord, as well as one with a row of fake forget-me-nots surrounding his neck. He'd painted his nails as well, with every other nail red and orange. He'd braided his hair back this time on one side, the other side loose and free to do what it wanted. 

He knows the forget-me-nots don't necessarily match the vibe or colors of the rest of his outfit, but that doesn't matter to him. The forget-me-not was important to him. 

“You're getting better,” they say offhandedly, covering the knee with an extra large bandaid. They always bring a small medkit with them, one that they must refill constantly with how much Langa gets hurt. They smile wryly up at him, and he lets out a breath. “I can see it. Every bail you get better and better.” 

“Can't wait to not bail as much, then,” Langa said softly, staring down at the hole in his pants and the band aid covering the mess of a scrape. His mom wasn't going to be too happy to see that he was tearing up his clothes. She had already voiced her concerns of the many injuries he got from skateboarding, but she never tried to stop him. She could see how happy it made him, and how much he enjoyed it. He really liked this pair of pants, too. 

Reki chuckles, patting Langa on the shoulder. “You'll get there, eventually,” they said encouragingly. Langa grins in return, and decides to try and be a bit more touchy, too. Reki has been this entire time, after all. He thinks he could be, too. He reaches a hand out and pats Reki’s thigh lightly, looking up, expecting to see the grin still in place, only to freeze when he feels Reki wince. 

Somehow, he must have hurt them. He goes to apologize, only for Reki to hiss lightly through their suddenly clenched teeth, pain written all over their expression. 

Wait, were they hurt there? But Langa hadn't seen them bail today- maybe they'd bailed while skating to school, or when they headed home the day before. But that doesn't make sense- the thigh isn't an area you typically scrape up or bruise when you bail. Usually, it's the elbows, knees, palms or even your face. But thighs were at such a strange angle it would be hard to scrape them up while skating. 

So had they gotten hurt at some point, and he hadn't noticed? 

But that doesn't make much sense, either. They and Langa were with one another almost ninety percent of the time, and he hadn't taken notice of them getting hurt at any point. 

“I'm sorry,” he ends up saying, even as his mind continues to race with thoughts. It felt almost like static in his brain, filling it with his worry for his friend. 

They wave him off, eyes shut momentarily as they gather themself. “Ah, it's fine,” they replied, and force a smile on their lips. Langa doesn't like how it looks forced. “Just ran into my bed frame earlier like a dumbass.” 

Langa wasn't sure why, but the explanation sounded off to him. Did bruises from something like that hurt  _ that _ badly? He doesn't have much experience in that realm, since all of his bruises came from snow or skateboarding, but he was pretty sure that they wouldn't hurt that bad to the touch. He can't help but run his hands up and down his leg, scratching the fabric of his pants as his concern wells around in his brain. 

He tilts his head, and pulls the small medkit over to himself. “Could I look?” he asked, a bit hesitant. He doesn't want to overstep, but he wants to help Reki, like they've helped him so much. Plus, his mom is a nurse, he knows some things about first aid. He could see if it was a particularly nasty bruise. From what his mom showed him and from experience alone. 

They don't answer at first, instead staring at him through wide, alarmed eyes. They glance around, before sighing heavily and nodding their head. Only then does Langa realize how awkward this may be, since Reki was wearing pants and they're in the middle of a public park. 

But then they're moving, actually sliding their pants off and Langa panics, eyes darting around as well now. But they don't seem phased, and their pants hit the ground. 

Langa lets out a breath of relief when he sees that Reki also has a pair of thin shorts underneath. Strange, but that must be what made the top holes in his pants always look black instead of skin colored. Still strange, but Langa wouldn't question it. 

“Okay, hang on,” they say, and then pull at the hem of their left leg pant. Langa watches as they slowly peel it off, and his breath catches at the sight before him. 

That was  _ definitely _ not a bruise. 

Instead, it was a long, deep slice through the skin just above their knee. The gash itself as well as the skin surrounding it are a deep, pulsating red, and Langa could see yellow pus lining the edges of the cut. It wasn't too wide of a cut, almost like it was done with a knife or particularly thick needle, and it was pretty fresh, too. 

He doesn't like the look of it at all. 

Reki lets out a sheepish, breathy laugh, scratching at the back of their head. “Okay, I lied when I said it was a bruise,” they admitted, a slight flush on their cheeks. “But it's really not that bad!” 

Langa can't even respond for a few seconds, too shocked at the sight before him. What had happened to give Reki such a deep, horrible gash, and why were they acting like it was nothing? It looked almost as if it were on the edge of becoming infected- and that was another thing. Reki knows first aid, knows how to clean cuts and scrapes. Why hadn't they cleaned their own wound out? Especially one this large and angry and  _ painful _ . 

“...What happened?” he asked finally, breaking his imposed silence. Reki winces at the question, and leans back, resting their weight on their hands. “The truth this time too, please.” 

He opens the medkit, and pulls out a tube of ointment, as well as a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide. He can already hear his mom berating him in the back of his head for even considering the usage of it, but he doesn't see a better option in the medkit. So, Reki will just have to deal with possible scarring. 

Which, looking closer, Langa could see small scars on their thigh in similar lengths around the cut. Langa doesn't like the look of that. What was happening to them? 

Reki chuckles again, half heartedly, and rubs at their nose. “Well, you see,” they begin, gesturing dramatically with their hands. Langa doesn't pay attention to this show, instead grabbing two cotton balls. On the first, he squirts out enough of the cleaning ointment on it, while he sets the second one aside for now. He then leans forward, and dabs the cotton along the cut. Reki hisses slightly, but stays still, their leg only trembling a little. “We have a particularly grumpy cat at my place. Okay, well, he's not grumpy to everyone. But for some reason, he really dislikes me. I try to be nice, but he’ll sometimes just lash out, ya know? Cats.” 

Langa doesn't respond, processing the information. Could a cat really cause a cut like this? This deep, and this intricate. He couldn't know for sure- he's never owned a cat. But it just doesn't feel right to him. Could explain the older scarrings, though. If the story was true. 

He hums lightly to let Reki know he'd heard them, and then grabs the second cotton ball, pouring a small amount of hydrogen peroxide onto it. He glances up at them, warning, “This is gonna sting.” 

They shrug and so he spreads the peroxide across the cut using the cotton ball, and instantly the cut hisses, bubbles forming and popping inside of it and along its edges. Langa winces in sympathy, and they can see one of Reki’s hands curl up with his discomfort. He lets it bubble for about a minute, before he wipes the cut with a piece of bandaging. Then, he prods Reki’s knee- they lift it obediently- and wrap the cut area. 

“Any others?” Langa asks without thinking. He was just wanting to make sure, since he saw older scars around the new cut, but that may be prodding a bit too much into their personal life. Somehow. He doesn't know how. 

But they shrug in response, and fix their pant leg to be snug around their leg once more. Then, they pull their pants back on, ruffling their hair with a single hand. 

“Thanks, Langa-kun,” they said with a soft smile, and Langa smiles in response. He's glad he could help them, even if it wasn't as much as they did for him. “Now, let's get back to practice. You still need to learn that ollie.” 

Langa groans with his displeasure but gets up anyway, ignoring the throbbing bruises littering his body and returning to his practice board. 

Reki had already promised him that they'd make him a new one. They were going to swing by their house once they were finished practicing, and they were going to show the progress they'd made on the board. Langa was excited. 

But for now, he hops back onto his current board, and gets back to practice. 

  
  


Langa hadn't been to the Kyan household many times. But when he did go there with Reki, there were young girls running all over the place while their mom worked on whatever meal was coming up. It was always a comfortable atmosphere, even if Reki did look a little bit more tense every time they entered their own home. 

Langa just assumes it's because his sisters were occasionally an annoyance to them. He could always ask them at some point, if he remembered to. 

Reki’s mom greets them as they enter now, waving the two over. 

“Hi again, Langa-kun,” she said with a bright smile. She has a great smile, and Langa could see that she's the origin of Reki’s. It could almost completely brighten her face up. Almost. Dark, heavy bags were always present under her eyes, and her hair- despite looking like it was attacked with a brush every morning- still stuck up in various places. She was stressed, but Langa could understand why. She has to look after four kids, Reki included, on her own, since Langa has no idea where her husband is. 

Langa knows Reki helps his mom around the house in anyway they can, but with school, they couldn't always be there. Especially now that they've started skating with Langa after school. But their mother never complains, and Langa admires her tenacity. 

“Hello, Kyan-san,” he replied with a small bow. He'd noticed that that's what Reki does whenever they go to his house for once, so he started to mimic to try and better fit in with the culture. He also is sure to remove his shoes before entering the house, which Reki would constantly try to tell him wasn't a big deal. “How are you today?” 

“Oh, only a little tired, thank you for asking, dear,” she said, and Langa sniffs. She was baking something. Something sweet and warm. His stomach growls, and he feels his face heat up when he knows she noticed. Both she and Reki laugh at his expression. His blush deepens. “You sound hungry. Lucky for you, I just finished making some brownies.” 

He perks up. He loves her cooking, and he loves brownies as well. Okay, he loves every single dessert known to man, but he particularly loves brownies. The way they melt inside of his melt but still have a grainy texture on the outside? Heaven for his mouth. Oh, and the ones with chocolate chips not fully melted were even better, adding a small crunch to the already heavenly texture and taste party. 

“May I have one?” he asked timidly, and she chuckles at his shy demeanor. Reki is nearby, wiping down the counters and table while they talk, occasionally pausing to lift one of his little sisters up and toss her into the air. They would then run off squealing with laughter, and they'd return to work. 

“Of course, dear!” she replied, and grabbed a paper plate from a nearby cabinet. She then slides a good sized brownie onto it, looks at Reki and veins conspiratorially and him, and slides a second onto the plate, handing him two forks as well. Ah, she was trying to sneak him a brownie. He winks back at her, and she gives him a thumbs up. “Let me know if you two need anything else, alright?” 

“Yes Mom,” Reki said, straightening their back. They toss out the wipe they'd been using to clean, and return to Langa’s side. They sniff at the brownies as well, but make no notion of asking for one as well. Good. Because Langa already has one for them. “Come on, Langa. We can watch some vids and then head to the garage once you're done eating.” They pause, and then look back to their mom. “Is Dad coming home tonight?” 

They sound worried, but their mother shakes her head slowly. She's smiling softly, but Langa could see something dark in her eyes. “No, sweetheart,” she said. “Now go have fun.” 

Reki deflated, and then led Langa out of the kitchen. 

Reki has always been tense on the subject of their father. Langa had asked about him once- before he knew better- during their first weeks together, curious as to why he never saw him. But Reki had winced and shook their head, saying it wasn't important. And Langa believed them, because what else could he do? He doesn't ask about their father after that. 

He follows them to their room, and they both sit on Reki’s bed. The mattress and bed frame creak under their combined weight, but they've sat on it enough to know it won't break on them. 

“Here's one of my favorite videos,” Reki said, holding their phone up to where he could see. They say that about every video they show him, but he doesn't comment on that. Instead, he smiles and turns his attention to the screen. 

He slowly eats the brownie their mom had given him, eyes nearly rolling back at the wonderful gooey flavors. Reki glances over a couple of times, momentarily watching him eat, before their eyes would quickly dart back to the phone screen. Once he's finished his brownie, he picks up the form he hadn’t used and holds the plate out to them. 

“Your mom gave us two,” he told their confused expression. They blink, roll their eyes, but take the plate anyways. “One for you, one for me. They're really good.” 

“Yeah, Mom does make good brownies,” they muttered, scooping up a rather large piece and stuffing it in their mouth. Now Langa couldn't stop watching  _ them _ eat. They'd paused the video and had set their phone in the bed beside them, so with nothing else to look at, Langa just stares at Reki. 

They move the fork carefully inside of their mouth with every bite, making sure to not smudge their lipstick. Their teeth are perfectly even, but have smudges of yellow on them, making them not quite perfect but nearly there. They chew their bites slowly, as though savoring the taste. 

They sit in comfortable silence. Once Reki has finished their brownie, they slide out of their jacket, revealing a tank top and a pair of tan, muscular arms. Langa hasn't seen him without their jacket before, and for a moment he's breathless. Reki’s has a lot more muscle then he'd been expecting, and he can't stop himself from watching the way they shift beneath his skin, and how their shoulders and the sides of their neck are also covered in light freckles. 

Their forearms are covered in small scrapes and scars from skateboarding, as well as a few oddly shaped ablations that almost looked like circular burn marks. Odd. Langa has never seen a mark like that before. 

He swallows heavily, thinking of how warm and secure those arms must feel. His hand reaches up to one of the two flowers hanging around his neck, and he begins to rub the petals, nearly crushing them between his fingers. The way faux plants felt as soothing to him, and he liked to crumble them, sometimes. 

He's brought out of his thoughts when Reki stands, scratching their back and arms out. There are a few pops, which Langa doesn't like the sound of too much, but there aren't many, so he doesn't have to cover his ears. Besides, he wasn't going to complain, he gets a clear view of their arms being stretched, their muscles bunching together and  _ fuck _ he’s gay. 

“Wanna go see your board?” Reki asked, their warm voice drawing him from his thoughts once more. He blinks, and slides his eyes to their glowing eyes. He loves their eyes. He's told them as much, too, and a light red had spread across their cheeks, and they'd tucked their chin to their chest. They'd looked adorable. He needs to compliment them more. “I've made some progress.” 

Langa nods eagerly, and pushes to his feet as well. He tosses the plate and forks they'd used into Reki’s trash, and then grabs their phone as well, since they'd forgotten to grab it. He smiles when the lock screen appears, showing him a picture they'd taken a week ago, both holding their boards while grinning at the camera, Reki making a peace sign while Langa awkwardly did a finger gun. He remembers taking that picture with them. 

It had been at sunset, and Langa was getting better and better at staying on the board. In fact, he could skate completely on his own, now, without hardly falling. He was still trying to learn to do ollies and other tricks, though. It was just so difficult to figure it out without his feet strapped to the board. 

Reki had already made a few other experimental boards to test what Langa needs most, and they seem to be getting closer and closer with each one they make. 

The garage has a smell that Langa enjoyed. It was a mixture of wood shavings, spray paint, metal, and the cologne that Reki wears. He likes to be in here with them- it was comfortable and warm, and he likes to watch them work on their boards. 

He takes a seat on the chair they’d brought in for him a few days ago, placing his hands on the front of the cushioned chair. He presses into the cushion, watching it bend under the pressure before slowly rising again. He likes watching it do that. 

Reki continues to one of the counters on the far side, and grabs a long, narrowed board. Langa’s eyes widen, and for a few seconds, he thinks they'd made a snowboard, instead of a skateboard. They hold it up for him to see, a shy grin on their face. He stands up, approaching slowly, and runs a finger along one of the edges, admiring the smooth workmanship they'd put into it. 

“How's it look, Langa-kun?” they ask with a grin, and Langa grins back up at them. 

“It's amazing, Reki,” he replied, letting some of his awe drip into his voice. His chest fills with warmth just thinking about how Reki has spent so much of their time on making and upgrading a board just for him- it makes his fingertips tingle and his hands twitch. He takes the board from the grip and turns it over to look at the wheels, spinning them mindlessly as he looks it over. The bottom is blank. “There isn't a design.” 

“I was thinking I'd let you think of some base designs, and then I work from there,” Reki informed him, rubbing at their nose like they did whenever they got a bit flustered. It was cute, Langa thinks. He spins the wheels faster. “So go ahead and sketch a few and I'll see what I can do!” 

“Okay,” Langa said, smiling down at his board, a ton of ideas already flooding his mind. He stops the wheel he'd been spinning to instead hold it between his thumb and forefinger, scraping at the rubbery feeling and squishing a little. He likes the texture. So smooth. “Thank you, Reki.” 

There's a shy chuckle from them, and when he looks up, their tanned cheeks are darker with red. It almost matches their hair, Langa mused. He rubs the wheel’s edge with his fingertips. 

“It was no problem, really,” they said, and they ran a hand through their hair. Langa’s fingers itch to pet the red mess of curls, so instead he feels along the metal of the truck, the surface cool and hard. Nothing like how their hair would probably feel- it's probably soft and fluffy and warm, just like the rest of them. He presses down harder on the metal. “And it was fun!” 

Langa can't stop himself, he wants to pet their hair so badly now. To run his fingers through the red strands and to braid it and brush it from their face. He speaks before he can think about his words, “Can I pet your hair?” 

It was so random, so out of nowhere, that Langa can already feel himself caving in. Why the hell would he say that  _ now _ ? Has he not learned anything? They'd been talking about his board, not about hair! And now Reki is staring at him oddly, and oh god, they finally know how weird and how much of a mess he was-

“Sure,” Reki said, halting his train of thought. His eyes widen when they move to be in front of his chair, gesturing for him to follow. He hesitantly sets his board down on the counter, and sits back down when Reki gestures for him to. Then, they plop down on the floor between his feet, leaning their head back towards him. 

And that's all that was needed for Langa’s hands to shoot out, quickly tangling his finger into the mess of red hair. Reki chuckles lightly, and leans further into his touch, allowing for Langa to easily card his fingers along their scalp. 

Reki’s hair is even softer than Langa had thought. And so fluffy. Beyond fluffy. It felt amazing on Langa’s skin, and all he wanted to do was bury his face in their hair and breathe in their shampoo and shut his eyes. But Reki must already think it strange that he'd wanted to pet their hair, so he refrains, and instead gently scrapes his nails along their scalp. 

They hum with soft content, their eyes sliding closed as he plays with their hair. He brushes it from their forehead and eyes and tucks some behind their ears and they scratch the back of their head and slides his palms over the top of their hair. He is in absolute heaven. 

He continues messing with their hair for who knows how long, and Reki doesn't seem to mind the slightest. They just keep their head propped up on his knees, eyes lightly shut, lips turned up in a small smile. They are completely relaxed- something Langa hadn't seen before. They were always so tense, always ready to run, like something is after them at all times- and Langa almost believes they've fallen asleep. 

He decides to braid their hair in the end, his fingers moving on instinct. He's braided his own hair, as well as his mother’s almost as long as he's snowboarded. He could do it while sleeping. He hums happily once he's finished, and takes a moment to admire his work. 

He draws his hands out of their hair, but they don't move, and he then realizes they really had fallen asleep. His eyes widen, and his heart flutters. 

Their sleeping face is so soft and relaxed, their breathing slow and even. Langa can’t look away- they look beautiful, and his brain is short circuiting and frying and all he can do is stare. 

Needless to say, they don't do anything else for the rest of the day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope y'all liked :3

**Author's Note:**

> i LOVE comments :>


End file.
